In the related art, ignition systems for spark-ignited internal combustion engines are believed to be understood in which, for example, a flow of current through the primary side of an inductive system is interrupted, causing at the secondary side a spark over a spark gap, provided specifically for this purpose, in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. If the spark crosses through an ignitable mixture at the time of ignition, the mixture combusts and drives the engine. However, due to various circumstances, the ignition spark may be extinguished prematurely, or may not be produced at all. In this case residual energy can remain in the capacitances of the ignition system, which can also be for example parasitic capacitances of the secondary winding or parasitic capacitances of other discrete components such as closing spark suppression diodes. Thus, a voltage continues to be present over the spark gap. This can have the result that at a later, inappropriate time an undesirable discharge, and thus ignition spark formation, can take place in the combustion chamber, because for example at this time a lower mixture pressure and/or a lower turbulence of the mixture prevail in the combustion chamber. If the spark produced by a residual charge causes a combustion, serious damage to the engine can result.